Tattoo artists in South Korea took to the streets in Daegu to advocate for the legalization of nonmedical tattoos. This demonstration preceded the country’s inaugural jury trial, which will examine the legal validity of tattoos performed by individuals lacking medical licenses.
Members of the Korea Tattoo Federation congregated outside the Daegu District Court in Suseong-gu, urging a verdict of innocence for a fellow practitioner charged with administering an eyebrow tattoo without a medical license. The tattooist in question, in their twenties, faced a fine via summary indictment for conducting an unlawful medical procedure but opted for a formal trial.
Since a pivotal Supreme Court ruling in 1992, tattooing in South Korea has been classified as a medical procedure, albeit without explicit legislative definition. Notably, the top court’s ruling on eyebrow tattoos deemed them medical procedures due to the associated infection risks.
Consequently, most tattoo parlors and artists operate outside the bounds of legality in South Korea.
Im Bo-ran, head of the KTF, emphasized that classifying tattooing as a medical procedure unjustly criminalizes tattooists. He asserted the need for legislation to formalize the practice rather than perpetuating its ambiguous legal status.
The impending trial will adopt the citizen participatory trial format, established in 2008 under the Act on Citizen Participation in Criminal Trials. Unlike conventional jury systems where guilt determination lies with jurors, South Korean juries only offer verdict recommendations, typically upheld by judges.
This trial represents the first occasion for citizen juries to weigh in on the legal standing of nonmedical tattoos, providing a more direct gauge of public sentiment on the matter.
The verdict of this landmark trial is expected next Tuesday.
Debates surrounding the legalization of tattoos by nonmedical practitioners persist in South Korea. In March, the government initiated research to devise a national qualification exam for tattoo practitioners, addressing a key demand within the industry. Such a state-endorsed certification system would enable tattooists to legitimize their profession without obtaining medical qualifications.